Bottle-closure.



W. E. GASTON.

BOTTLE CLOSURE.

APPLICATmN FILED nEc.3.1914.

1,168,386. Patented Jun. 1s, 1916.

Wl me/5,555?

v In vena?? UNltTTQB STATES PATENT @Fllillo WLLIAM E. GASTON, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

BOTTLE-CLOSURE.

Application led December 3, 19M.

To all whom it may concern:

it known that l, WILLIAM E. GASTON, a citizen of the United States, residing in rTorrington, in the county of Litchfield and Stateoi" Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Bottle- Closures of which the following is a specication.

rEliis invention relates more particularly to that class of bottle-closures which is especially designed for use in bottling mineral waters, beer and other liquids requiring the bottles to be sealed against leakage of either liquids or gases under considerable pressure.r and to hold the contents with a high degree of security.

My present invention pertains to the general form of bottle closure described in my allowed and co-pending application, Serial No. 737,779, tiled-Ecc. 20, 1912, and also in mv co-pending application, Serial No. 66.238, filed Dec. ii, 1915.

i principal object of the present improvements is to furnish a closure of that class in which a minimum amount or packing material will be required, and which may be so arranged and combined as to secure a high degree of uniformity operation under varying conditions with a re.

duction of cost and a minimum proportion of detective closures.

Uther objects and advantages are pointed out and more fully explained in following description.

'in the drawings accompanying and forinng a part of this specification Figure side elevation of a bottle `osure made accordance with my present improve Fig. Q is a central vertical.y Sectio -thowing the several parts assembled n position read for the setting operation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view sim'l richt-hand portion cf nai-god, iorgnore clearly illus' tain feat res ot the closure. Fig. A f tical sectional view similar to 8, .n shovv'ing an intermediate state ot the setting o eration. is a similar vertical central sectional view.. showing closure completed. at the end of Lhe setting operation. 6 is a 'view similar to Fig. is a diagram to illustrating certain ir ng aber in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan., it, 191th.

serial no. 975,213.

ing certain features of my present invention in a modified constructIon.

For convenience of comparison, Figs. 3, e? and 5 are all drawn in similar relation to the meridian line X, X, which coincides with the airis of the closure.

Similar characters designate like parts' in all of the views.

it will be remembered that when a moldable but resilient and resistant packing-disk is laid over the bottle-mouth and then simply pressed into place in the usual manner by a locked-on metal cap, the substance of the disk is subject to compression over a wide annular zone which therefore has a relatively low intensity of pressure. rlhe eect of that practice has been to so widely distribute the total pressure or sealing-force that the desired high security or sealingeii'ect was not satisfactorily obtained. These objections are overcome by the improvements set forth in my aforesaid prior application. oy means of certain combinations in which there are two concentric bearing-Zones, and by other features operating in conjunction therewith, as more fully explained in said application, to which reference may be had. in my present invention. as in said prior invention,-the

closure operates in accordance with principle of augmenting the sealing educing the area and thereby inintensitv of the high-pressure and, also, by dividing this highpressure area into a plurality of relatively non-contiguous, narrow and concen- --Zones, so that the principal part stress' or pressure exerted upon t ,te "tace is concentrated upon relative small area is tnereore or a relaro i greater intensity and consequent higher sealing-effect, than would otherwise se the case.

The application of my improved closure to bottles ot the style otl formation herein iiiustrated may be made by means of instrumenta which 'are already well liti known, and therefore I have not deemed it necessary to herein illustrate or particularly describe the same.

In the drawings, myimproved closure is shown applied to a well known form of bottle-top, B, having a top-face, as C, of ythe usual form, and also having the lockface, or lock-rim, la. The cap is designated in a general way by M, and is herein shown provided with a depending outer liange N which surrounds the crown disk and is preferably furnished at its lower edge with some suitable retaining means,as for instance, the lock-rim-engaging hooks at 1,-for engaging under the lock-face or rim lc, when the cap M is in its fully set position, as in Figs. 1 and 5. .In practice, however, the lower edge of the flange N may, if preferred, be simply spun under the face c, in a well-known manner; this permitsthe use of a plainly formed or unserrated lower edge -for the ange N. In some cases,-as herein illustrated,-the flange N may have the well known indented formation, whereby the locking-on of the cap is effected in a well-known manner by closing in the lower edge of the flange N to a smaller diameter during the pressing down of the cap, by means of suitable mechanical appliances. This lockedon position is indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, in which the indents or hooks 1', are shown engaging directly under the rim or face 7:. Between the bottle face C and the cap M, a packing member D,(see Figs. 2, 3) is located for coacting with those other members in a peculiar manner, which I will now, by,the aid of the sectional-views and diagrams, more fully describe.

The packing-face C, (Fig. 3) may be considered as comprising a medial or top-zone cl, (Fig. 4) located between the outer, annular bearing-zone b2 and the inner, annular bearing-zone b3,- in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, these ltwo bearing-zones' are distinguished by shaded portions. The zone b2 inclines downwardly and outwardly, while the zone b3 is shown with little if any inclination inwardlyrrfromxsaid medial zone d. 'SaidV outer zone, b2, is almmt-edvon the outer side of the bottle-face, C, so that the fully applied packing member D, may be said to have a wedging action downwardly lpon 1);he annular bearing surface b2 (see The cap and packing member being first assembled on the'bottle top as in Figs. 2

.and 3, and pressure being then suitably applied over the crown or top of the cap and to the yflange N thereof, the' said closure members are Vgradually forced downward and reshapedfrom their initial positions in Fig. 3, to the successive positions illustrated, respectively, in Figs. 4 and 5. During this progressive operation, the compression applied to the upper edge-zone a of the mem ber D, begins the formation of a pressurering or zone n3, in and of the substance of this member and directly above the bearing zone b3, as indicated in Fig. 4, and afterward an outer pressure-ring, n2, Fig. 5,- but of less depth, is similarly formed.

The cap M when provided with the rimgripping flange N, has this flange of a depth suflicient for engaging under the bottle-rim at Ic, and for then extendin upwardly and over the relatively thin pac ing-zone al, of the packing-member D," and there forming the sectionally curved flange-gripy at g, while the crown disk or top m of the cap (Fig. 3) is adapted to bevdrawn down or reformed by the setting-pressure into an elevated annular bearing-disk m1 (Fig. 5 and thus impart to the inner annular sealing-seat b3, an amount of pressure corresponding to that required for so re-forming said cap.

The crown-disk m of the cap M is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, of a preferred form in which the zone m of the disk: closely approximates a plane, while in Fig. 5 the outer portion or zone lm1 of this disk is shown drawn downwardly to a line or angle coinciding with the upper surface of the completed pressure-rings or zones n and ng of and in the packing member D. This construction provides a considerable initial space at S, Fig. 3,.which space is progressively reduced in the succeeded stages of the setting-operation, as indicated at S1, in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus the initial provision of a crown or top-disk zone at m1 adapted to be re-formed substantially as set forth during and by the setting operation, provides for beginning the formation of the pressure-ring 41,3 well in advance of the formation of the pressure ring n2, as indi- Y or sealing-s eet-"IlhepartP h1 shouldv'be Y made of some material or substance suitable for contacting with the contents of the bottle without injury thereto, las for instance, of some sheet-material or resistant layer.

lIn practice I prefer to use for this purpose a relatively separate layer having the required resistant quality and also adapted to serve as a strain-sheet for resisting any exv cessive deformation of the f and h.

1n the preferredconstruction illustrated,

packing-members the member D may be considered, as to certain features of the combinations, as consisting of a three-layer packing-member comprising a thin, flexible and high-resistance sealing-sheet, 11,1, forming the lower layer and of a diameter covering the three zones, b2, l and b3 of the packing-face C;

a second layer, L, consisting of a relatively low-resistance packing-disk of some suitable moldable material applied on said sealingsheet and preferably having its outer molding-zone, 21, of a diameter substantially equal to said sealing-sheet or .disk; and a third layer consisting of a forcing-disk, f, preferably of relatively lower resistance, in position on said second layer and of a diam eter for only extending over an inner zone, b3, which, in practice, may be from onethird to one-half of the total radial width of the three bottle-face zones; but these ratios may be varied. Thus, when arranged substantially as here described, there will be formed in the fully-applied packingmember, two zones of relatively high-pressure, of which one is a relatively thin outer zone or ring and the other is a relatively deep inner zone or ring, and between those two pressure-rings, a zone of low-compression, located over the medial zone d of the packing face, whereby the sealing-action is normally concentrated on the bottle-face upon relatively separated or non-contiguous concentric zones or annular surfaces.

During the formation of the inner pres- -sure ring n3, (Fig. 4:), and until this formation is well advanced, the upper disk f operates as a forcing member or disk tending to drive downwardly the central portion of the sealing-layers, h, h1, while the outer zone, al, of these layers is still free of any substantial compressive force, and is therefore readily conformable to the conditions produced by vthat forcing action. But later, after said inner ring n3 is nearly formed, the cap-zone m draws down upon the outer edge of said zone el, and by a sliding and .compressive action thereon forces said packing zone or flange against the bearing-line b2, and thus draws and forms said zone or fPla-ngefa1 outwardly and downwardly, (see This peculiar action properly performed, has the effect, in practice, of first seating the packing disk firmly against the inner bearing b3, then drawing or wrapping that disk over the medial zone d of the face C, and finally seating the outer edge e1 firmly against said outer bearing-line b2. Thus the said pressure-rings, n3 and n, are begun in succession but are completed substantially simultaneously. In this operation the disk le, is subjected simultaneously to the sealingpressure and to a diametrical contraction from a larger initial dimension; this tends to produce an inwardly ding action between the contacting surfaces of the sealingv surfaces.

The diameter desirable for the lower disk h, in order that its outer zone e1 may properly wrap down over the bearing b3,

will usually be such as to make this disk edge impinge within the flange N of the cap M, when the parts are assembled ready for setting, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This initial excess diameter of the zone al over the inside diameter of the flange N, provides a convenient means for a prior assembling of the caps 'M and disks D, so the closure may be handled by the bottling operators, and in machines, as a single article, and also/may be supplied to the trade in that complete form. l

In my present improvements, the moldable forcin, 1;-member ;c has an annular form, it being preferably made from a disk out out of a suitable material in sheet-form, and the central portion removed, thereby forming a central and relatively large opening into which extends a depressed* portion'of the cap M, as m3, Fig. 3, for positively supporting the annular member f against any considerable amount of diametrical contraction. In the preferred form thereof herein illustrated, the central zone mS of the cap is depressed to the extent of forming a resistance wall w, located inside of the said moldable ring, or forcing member f. Thus the depressed zone m3 is, or may be, integrally connected by the annular wall w with the said cap-zone, m, which is located directly above the inner 'zone bs of the bottle face C. In this arrangement, therefore, the capzone fm, may be said to constitute the annular crown-disk of the closure cap, and to be provided on the outer circumference thereof, with means for engaging the cap-retaining means, as 7:, of the bottle-top, and also be provided on the inner circumference thereof, with a depending resistance wall, as lw, which is surrounded by the annular member f, and supports, this member against dia.- metrical contraction.

In Fig. 6 the line 8 illustrates in a diagrammatic manner the general direction in which the cap-stress reacts upon the inner bearing-zone b3 of the bottle-face, and the series of small divergent arrows at e, indicatel how the forces there concentrated, react outwardly against the cap-zone fw. The middle portion, n, of said zone n, is shown of a curved or concave form, and 1ocated with the concave side'thereof toward the said bearing zone b", which thus becomes a center, or focal point therefor. These features, and the mode of applying the cap,

'operate to bring the packing disk n and the forcing-ring f under compression in such a manner that the substance of said ring f will naturally become adjusted,-during the compressive action,-to an effective bearing as between the bearing-zone b3 and lsaid capzone 115, by the occurrence of some sliding or shifting of the ring f, or a part of the substance thereof, within and against said concave' cap-zone w. Thus the zone 'w,- when having the form nig-and as then seen in the sectional views,-may be said to partially surround the point b3, and also to constitute a concave pressure-distributing surface located above, and inwardly from,

said inner pressure-zone of the bottle-face. The central disk m3 of the cap when located and arranged as shown in Fig. 6, constitutes one device or form of means for preventing the pressures indicated at e2, from deforming the cap-zone 11.5.` The cap M, therefore, may be said to comprise a concave pressurezone 11,5, located in an inclined position, and having an integral connection with the tensioning-zone m1 lying outside of said pressure-zone b3, and also connected with the central or concentric resistance-zone ma, which is located in a position, or at a level, considerably below said tensioning-zone. As regards the directions of the forces involved, one of the stress-sections of the zone m1, relatively to the zone n, is shown by the arrow 1', while the resistance of inner member m3 is similarly indicated by the arrow 1'15.

In accordance with the features of construction here described,other advantagesai'e illustrated in Fig. 6, where the arrow 1'1o indicates the approximate direction of one of the principal lines of force, or stresses, as be- Atween the completely applied cap M, and

the bottle-face. On comparing this feature with the other igures as described, it will be evident that the outer flange N being forced under the retaining face 7c by the usual setting die (not shown) applied 1n the direction of the arrow 1'9 (Fig. 4) operates to draw downwardly the whole cap, as also indicated by the arrow 1'11., Fig. 6. rlhis operation, however, and after the compression,

or downward movement, at 1', has reached the proper point, still draws down the outer portion of the cap-zone m and thereby shifts or fleXes-this zone from approximately the initial position thereof in Fig. 4, to the final position thereof in Fig. 5, naturally operates to lex,or turn outwardly,the said concave wall or zone 11., so that this zone maybe said to turn or may slightly revolve in an outward direction over and uponthe inner compression-zone at a3 of the packing-member or forcing-ring f; at the same time, the lower part 11 (Fig. 6) of said zone 11.5 is located 1n a position for operating as a kind ofv clamp or hook, in the direction of arrow 14, whereby to resist the outward stress upon the cap by a resistance directly incasso against the inner side of the bottle-face. rlhus the strains due to the flange-retaining f engagement at-Zc, in any part of the circumference of the closure, are directly and largely balancedand opposed by a resistance in the direction 1'10 and against the bottleface, at b3, in that same part of the circumference, thereby materially reducing the amount of the stress which otherwise would be transmitted across the cap and be there received on the outside of the bottle-face, as herein further illustrated in Fig. 7 and more fully explained in iny said prior application.

In the construction above described, the positions of the cap-retaining lock-rim or face la, (see Fig. 6) and also of the inner bearing-zone b3, relatively to the said resistance-wall w,-in the completely applied closure,-is brought down to, or to a point somewhat below, a line, as y-fy, which passes through said lock-rim and bearingzone. One advantage of this construction or feature of combination will be evident, since that part of the stress or force which is exerted, on or by one of the faces lc, 115, in the location and in the direction of said line g/-g, vwill be received and resisted by the other said face. Thus the said. positioning of the lock-rim k, the inner bearing-zone b3, and a zone, as 11.5, of the resistance-wall lw, all in a near alinement as here described, naturally provides for such a clamping or clasping action of the cap M upon the bottletop and packing, as to tend by-itself and to a material extent, to hold the closure secured in place.

With relat1on to the packing-face of the rw, of the crown disk, the packing member may be said t'o comprise a lower layer or disk as 11., having a moldable packing-zone extending to and coperative with the outerzone b2 (Fig. 8) of said packing-face C, and also to comprise an annular upper layer, as. f, of an outside diameter less than the outside diameter of said lower disk, 1L, and having a moldable outer-zone, e2, superposed upon said lower disk, said upper layer also surrounding and bearing against said resistance-wall. ln this construction Fig. 8, the said lower moldable disk, in some instances,-and either with: or without the lower or sealing sheet,-inay have an annular form, and may then have an inside d1- aineter somewhat larger than the outside diameter of said resistance wall,- as indicated, for instance in Fig. 8. This innodi-` cation, however, is an improvement notA specically claimed herein, but is reserved to constitute in part the subject-matter of a separate application to be `concurrently pending herewith.

'lhe zone or ring, fr?, of relatively highcap, said members being` arran ed for and forming a low-pressure zone w ich, in the -fully compressed packing-member, is located over the medial-zone of the bottleface and between two concentric high-pressure bearin zones. v

3. In a ottle closure of the class described, the combination with a bottle-top having the upper packing face and capre taining means for enga ing a metal cap, and having iny said upper ace three zones comprising a medial top-zone between two concentric inner and outer bearing-zones, and with a metal-ca havin an annular crown ydisk and provi ed on t e o uter circumference thereof with a dependingouter portion in position and arranged for engaging said cap-retaining means of the bottle-top, and provided on the inner circumference thereof with a depending resistance wall vof a diameter less than the inside diameter of said packing-face and consisting of a depending ca -zone having a concave packlng-seat an located, in the completely applied closure, above, and inwardly of the said inner bearing-zone, of a packin member comprising a sealing disk of a re atively large outside diameter and also comprising van annular moldable packing-disk of a relatively small outside diameter and located between said concave packing-seat and the.

sealing-disk.

4. In a bottle closure of the class described, the combination with a bottle-top having the upper packing-face and cap-retaining meansfor engaging a metal-cap, and having in saidupper face three zones comprising a medial top-zone between concentric inner and outer bearing-zones, and with a metal-cap having an annular crown-disk and\ provided on the outer circumference thereof with a depending portion in position and arranged for engaging said cap-retaining means of the bottle-top, and provided on the inner circumference thereof with a depending resistance wall which at the lower v edge thereof has a diameter less than the inside diameter of said inner bearing-zone, of a packing member comprising a lower packing disk of 'an outside diameter larger than the diameter of said medial top-zone, and also comprising an annular forcing member of an -outside diameter less than the diameterA lof sald outer bearing-zone, said forcingmember surrounding and being supported against said resistance wall of the cap, and said members being arranged in position for and forming a low-pressure zone which in the fully-compressed packing-member is located 'over the medial zone of the bottle-face and between two concentric bearing zones of relatively high-pressure.

5. In a bottle-closure of the class described, the combination with a bottle-top having the upper packing-face and cap-rel incassa taining means for engaging a metal cap, and with a metal-ca having an annular crowndisk and provi ed on the outer circumference thereof with a dependingportion in position and arranged for engaging said capretaining means of the bottle-top, and provided on the inner circumference thereof with a. depending resistance wall'which at the lower edge thereof has a-diameter less than the inside diameter of said packingface, of a packing-member comprising a lower packing-disk of a diameter corresponding with the outer diameter of said aching-face, and also comprising an annuar moldable forcing-member which has an outside diameter less than the outside diameter of said packing-face, and which surrounds and is supported by said resistance wall against diametrical contraction.

6. In a bottle-closure of the class described, the combination with a bottle-top having an upper packing-face and having cap-retaining means for engaging a metalcap, and with a metal-cap having an annular crown-disk provided Aon theouter circumference thereof with retaining means in position and arranged for engaging said capretaining means of the bottle-top, and provided on the inner circumference thereof with an integral and depending resistance wall, of a packing-member comprising a lower sealing-disk of a diameter corresponding with the outer diameter of said packing face, and also comprising an annular moldable forcing-member which has an outside diameter less than the outside diameter of said sealing-disk, andwhich surrounds and is supported by said resistance wall against diametrical contraction.

7. The hereindescribed improvement in` caps for bottle-closures, `consisting in a metal-cap having an annular crowndisk provided on the outer circumference thereof with a depending outer flange having retaining means, and provided on the inner circumference thereof with a depending and concentrically-located resistance-wall, in combination with a two-part packing member comprising a sealing-disk having an outios -l nation with a packing member comprising a sealing-disk having an outside diameter corresponding with the diameter of said crown-disk, and also comprising an annular forcing-disk consisting of a moldable material and located between the sealing-disk and crown-disk and having the inside diameter thereof corresponding to the diameter of said resistance-wail, and having the outside diameter thereof lessl than the diameter 1U of said sealing-disk.

WILLIAM E. GASTON.

Witnesses:

FRED. J. DOLE, M. D. PENNEY. 

